Get ready for a bizarre figure skating world championships

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The figure skating world championships in an Olympic year are always tough. This year's are tougher.

Three quarters of the time, the world championships are the biggest event of the figure skating season. But once every four years they're upstaged by the Winter Olympics. After peaking physically and emotionally to compete on the sport's biggest stage, it's common for some top skaters to be too exhausted and/or disinterested to suit up for the worlds just a month or so later. This can result in depleted competitions and, frankly, some dubious world champions.

This year's world championships, which begin Wednesday in southern France, are taking the post-Olympic hangover to a new level. Seven of the 12 medallists — including three of the four gold medallists — from the traditional figure skating events in Beijing are missing for various reasons.

Men's gold medallist (and reigning world champ) Nathan Chen of the U.S. withdrew due to a self-described "nagging injury." Pairs gold medallists Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are out because China opted to not send anyone to worlds. The decision to ban Russian skaters after the invasion of Ukraine removed five more 2022 Olympic podium finishers, including women's gold medallist (and reigning world champ) Anna Shcherbakova and silver medallist Alexandra Trusova.

Fifteen-year-old Russian star Kamila Valieva, who was favoured to win both the Olympic and world women's titles this year before her failed doping test and subsequent meltdown knocked her off the podium in Beijing, is also out due to the ban. Two-time Olympic men's champion Yuzuru